Caseworker

TEAM/PROGRAMME: Ops, Child Protection (CP)

GRADE: 4B

CHILD SAFEGUARDING: 

Level 3:  the role holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE: 

Up to 6 million children trapped inside Ukraine are in imminent danger as an increasing number of hospitals and schools come under attack. At least 464 schools and 43 hospitals have been damaged. At least one in five children in Ukraine – or more than 1.5 million – to flee the country. Children who remain with or without families in Ukraine, with many believed to be sheltering inside buildings are also vulnerable to injury or death, as well as to deprivation of food, clean water and health care. Save the Children is rapidly scaling up a multi-sectoral response, which child protection being a priority in terms of needs and the SCI mandate. Save the Children is co-leading the UASC Force and working closely with the Child Protection AOR to coordinate and deliver for children. Children have been witnessing the destruction, violence, death and injury of the family, friends and neighbors, which leaves invisible scar and injury inside the heart leading to mental distress.

The CP Caseworker under the direct supervision of the Child Protection Case Management Supervisor, is primarily responsible for conducting all steps of the child protection case management process for an assigned number of individual children vulnerable to violence, abuse, exploitation, neglect and their families in this process. The main objective for the caseworker is to ensure children harmed or at risk of being harmed are identified and receive individual case management support by conducting documentation, assessments, action plans, direct service provision, referrals and follow ups for an assigned case load of children. The case worker will provide support to families in the process of case management, including foster and alternative care. Case worker will directly work with other caseworkers and service providers on management of caseload and referrals.

SCOPE OF ROLE: 

Reports to: Child Protection Case Management Supervisor

Staff reporting to this post: None

Budget Responsibilities: None

Role Dimensions: (e.g. complexity, relationships, communication with stakeholders) Case worker will directly work with other caseworkers and service providers on management of caseload and referrals.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Case Management for Individual Children and their Families: 

• The caseworker will provide quality case management services to children who have experienced or are at risk of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation or are otherwise vulnerable in line with the eligibility criteria and case prioritization guide.
• Guide children and their families through the case management process (identification and registration, assessment, case planning, implementation of the case plan, follow-up and review, case closure) as outlined in the Standard Operation Procedures.
• Provide psychosocial support and emotional support to children and families throughout the case management process.  
• Conduct safe referrals to essential services as appropriate, and follow-up to ensure services provided were responsive to the needs identified within the assessment.

Community and Interagency Coordination: 

• Liaise with community members, service providers, NGO partners and government stakeholders to identify and safely refer children at risk. 
• Maintain an up-to-date service mapping for your geographical area.
• Participate in inter-agency case conferences (presentation of cases and dissemination of challenges).

Case Management Teamwork: 

• Actively engage in all capacity building opportunities, including formal trainings, shadowing/observation, capacity assessments, etc.
• Participate in regular case management meetings with the case management team.
• Prepare for and participate in regular structured individual supervision sessions, identifying challenges and areas for development.

Other Duties:

• Adhere to the Child Protection Policy, Safeguarding policy and Code of Conduct.
• Provide feedback on written documents and the design of future programming.
• Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of field teams; promptly reporting concerns or incidents to management.
• Any other duty delegated by your supervisor.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (SCI Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Minimum of Bachelors in Social work, Counseling Psychology, or relevant discipline.
• Previous work experience in community development or with an NGO (preferably in child protection).
• Minimum 2 years of professional experience working with children. 
• Excellent writing, facilitation, and organizational skills.
• Excellent command of the local language of the affected population.
• Strong drive for results and ensuring timely delivery of quality products.
• Experience managing child protection cases in a sensitive and child friendly manner.
• Excellent communication and engagement skills with children and their caregivers.
• Able to empathize with children and families that have been impacted by the humanitarian emergency.
• Experience working with case files and databases and providing regular documentation. 
• Good understanding of social welfare systems and child protection mechanisms 
• Excellent community mobilization skills. 
• Ability to work individually and within a team. 
• Good analytical, problem solving and project planning skills.
• Able to communicate clearly and strategically with internal and external stakeholders as a representative. This includes effective negotiation and representation skills.
• Computer knowledge - Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook.
• Advocates for children’s rights and child participation in all decisions that affect them.
• Strongly drives performance forward in area of the business for which they are responsible together with the team.
• Conceptual understanding of and commitment to humanitarian work. 
• Sets a strong learning culture in their part of the organisation.
• Remains calm and positive under pressure and in difficult situations.
• Aware of impact on others and adjusting own behaviour accordingly.

Desired

• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships.
• Strong skills in monitoring, evaluation, research and conducting participatory, community-led assessments.
• Competent spoken English language.
• Experience or knowledge of working and living in relevant regions/contexts.
• Experience working with IDPs, refugees and returnees.

Additional job responsibilities

The job duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities 

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Health and Safety

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.